Wringer



July 6, 1943.

w. L. KAUFFMAN, 27D

WRINGER Filed March 17, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l July 6, 1943. w. KAUFFMAN, 2D

WRINGER Filed March 17, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 EN TOR.

Patented July 6, 1943 WRINGER Walter L. Kauifman, II, Erie, Pa., assignor to Lovell Manufacturing Company, Erie, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application March 17, 1937, Serial No. 131,327

10 Claims.

The present invention is directed to simplify the release and resetting of pressure on wringers. It has been common to provide wringers with safety releases and such wringers must be provided with some means for restoring the pressure on the pressure device after such release. It is desirable that this resetting be accomplished as easily as possible. Such resetting devices have comprised lever systems operating with relation to the release which tend to violently throw the levers. This is objectionable. The present invention provides a lever system in connection with release device obviating this difficulty. Features and details of the invention will appear from the specification and claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings as follows:

Fig. 1 shows a front elevation of the wringer partly in section with the parts in set position.

Fig. 2- a similar view with the parts in release position.

Fig. 3 a section on the line 33 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 a perspective View of the resetting end of the wringer.

Fig. 5 a perspective view of the latch of the release device.

Fig. 6 a perspective view of the trip member.

Fig. 7 a perspective view of one end of the top bar.

Fig. 8 a section on the line 8-8 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 9 a plan view partly in section of the end of the top bar.

Fig. 10 a section on the line Ill-Ill in Fig. 4.

Fig. 11 a section on the line llll in Fig. 9.

The frame is made up of a base I, and side stiles 2 and 3. A lower roll 4 is provided with a shaft 5. The shaft 5 is driven through a coupling B from a drive shaft 1. The shaft 5 is journaled into bearings 8, these bearings being arranged within the side stiles and being supported by brackets 9 arranged in the stiles. An upper roll in has a shaft II. The shaft II is journaled in bearings 12, these bearings being slidingly mounted in the side stiles. A pressure device in the form of a spring I3 operates upon the bearings I2. The counter-pressure for the spring is taken by the top bar l4 through an adjusting device arranged at the center.

The adjusting device comprises a holder [5 which is a U-shaped plate secured to the center of the spring having side uprights. These uprights are provided with slots 15a. A similar holder I6 is secured to the top bar and it is provided with slots H. A variable dimension insert I9 is arranged within the holders and mounted on a shaft I8. It is locked with the shaft by a pin 2|]. By turning the insert different dimensions may be interposed between the top bar and the spring, and the pressure of the spring thus adjusted. Handles 2| are provided for the shaft l8 extending to the front and rear of the top bar so that the insert may be readily turned to the desired adjustment.

The top bar is detachable from the top of the side stiles so as to completely. release the pressure on the rolls. It is provided with a safety release device at one end of the top bar giving practically instantaneous release and with a resetting device at the opposite end capable when operated of re-establishing pressure on the rolls, the resetting device being designed to release the opposite end of the top bar after the release device is actuated. Under certain conditions either the safety release or the resetting device may be actuated to efiect a release of pressure, and the sequence of this may be altered to make the operation of either device first, but the preferable operation is to operate the quicker acting safety release first.

Any safety release device may be provided for the releasing end of the top bar. As shown, it is similar to that illustrated in my prior application No. 621,921 filed July 11, 1932 and patented October 1, 1940, No. 2,216,197. It coinprises the latch 22. This is provided with two side plates and a connecting plate, the side plates extending along the sides of the stile. The side plates have the pivot openings 23 through which projections 24 extend, the projections being struck up from the stile. The latch 22 is provided with hooks 25 at its upper end which are adapted to engage inwardly extending lips 26 on a trip member. The trip member is made up of the side plates 21 and connecting hood or bridge plate 28. Pintles 29 extend inwardly from the lips 26 through pivot openings 30 arranged in the side walls of the top. The trip member is normally returned to set position and yieldingly held in set position by spring 3 l. The latch member has safety shoulders 32 which engage the outer edges of the lips 26. When the release device is in set position these shoulders prevent the swinging of the latch 22 so as to disengage the hooks 25. The side plates of the trip member have the extensions 33 which are in the path of the lever arms 34 extending from operating bars 34a. The operating bars may be preferably along the front and rear of the top bar. The

levers 34 have pivot ends 35 which extend through slots 36 in the sides of the top bar.

In the operation of this release when an operating bar 34a is depressed it rocks the trip member and this moves the sustaining lips 26 to an inclined position so that the hooks 25 slide off the lips and effect a release.

The resetting device is arranged at the opposite end of the release and comprises a resetting lever 31. Thi lever is connected through a hinge 38 with the end of the top bar. It is also connected through a pivot pin 40 with a link 39 having flanged sides and a connecting back. Th link 39 is connected through a pivot pin 4| with ears 42 of a bracket 43, the bracket being secured to the end of the stile. This lever system provides in effect a toggle arrangement so that as the lever 31 is forced downwardly the top is forced downwardly with increasing leverage as the members 31 and 39 are in approximate alignment. In the operation of the device, when the release has been effected and the lever 31 swung out to permit the lifting of the top bar and it is desired to reset the pressure, the release end of the top bar is engaged by moving it down to position and the resetting lever then swung to an upper position is forced downwardly, the top itself affording some leverage in this operation. When the lever reaches the final position the pivots are approximately but slightly out of alignment as clearly indicated in Fig. 1, enough cut of alignment to maintain the resetting lever in its set position so long as it is under pressure. As soon as the release device is operated and the release end of the top moves upwardly, the resetting end of the top bar fulcruming on the end of the stile swings the hinge out to or beyond alignment with the pivot 49 and 4|, thus bringing the links into position to release or swing open so as to release pressure on the resetting end of the top bar. It may be desirable to assist this opening movement of the links and this is accomplished by a spring 3111. Thi spring is arranged between the sides of the link 39 and extends from the pins or pintles 40. It is slightly bent, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, so that when closed the inwardly bent portion engages the connecting back of the link 39 and the upper end of the loop engages the inner face of the toggle link 31. The spring is of such resiliency that it tends to release the toggle. It will be understood that as the toggle is extended over to the right of the pin 4| its resistance to release increases as the pressure on the wringer increases, while the pressure of the spring remains constant. This mechanism providing the initial release of pressure through the release end of the top avoid the violent outswinging of the resetting lever because when the resetting lever is released the real pressure is off the top bar and there is no violent action.

A preferable hinge between the lever 37 and the top bar is provided by inwardly formed lips 44 of the top bar which receive the pintle sleeve. 45 formed in the end of the lever 31. The top bar is also provided with outwardly extending sockets 46 at each side of the lips 44. Pintles 41 are arranged in the sleeve 45 with a spring 48 between them. By pressing the pintles together the hinge may be assembled by moving the sleeve to its place when the pintles will spring out to the position shown in Fig. 10.

It is desirable to limit the upward throw of the top bar and this is accomplished by a bail 49 which is U-shaped with heads 50 arranged at the upper ends of the sides of the bail. These heads extend through key-hole slots 5| in the top bar arranged under the hood of the trip member. This forms a pivotal connection for the bail. The lower end of the bail extends below the shaft of the upper roll, permitting an initial upward movement of the top bar but engaging the upper shaft as the upper throw continues. The lower end of the bail is provided with hooks 52 which are shaped to engage notches 53 in the side stile, it being understood that the side stile is preferably formed of sheet metal, rectangular shaped in cross-section, and is provided with the usual slots for receiving the shafts and providing inturned flanges in the stiles at the sides of the slots. The notches 53 ar formed in these inturned flanges near the upper end of the stile.

What I claim as new is:

1. A wringer mechanism comprising a lower frame, a movable top frame, rolls in the lower frame, pressure means for th rolls, and instrumentalities holding the top frame on the lower frame against the pressure of said pressure means to establish wringing pressure between the rolls and render saidpressure means available in moving the top frame away from the lower frame when released at either end thereof, including an independently releasable latching device for normally holding on end of the top frame to the lower frame, said releasable latching device having means arranged to cooperate with said pressure means in releasing one end of the top frame from the lower frame, and an independently releasable latching device having means to cooperate with said pressure means in releasing the opposite end of the top frame from the lower frame, said last mentioned releasing devicev including means and connections between the same and the top and lower frames for resetting the top frame to normal position on the lower frame with restoration of pressure from said pressure means with respect to both of the releasable latching devices, said releasable devices being formed and correlated whereby either of the latching devices may be actuated in advance of the other.

2. A wringer mechanism comprising a lower frame, a movable top frame, rolls in the lower frame, pressure means for the rolls, and instrumentalities holding the top frame on the lower frame against the pressure of said pressure means to establish wringing pressure between the rolls and render said pressure means available in moving the top frame away from the lower frame, including a relatively quick independently releasable latching device for normally holding one end of the top frame to the lower frame, said releasable latching device having means arranged to cooperate with said pressure means in releasing the top frame from the lower frame, and a relatively slow manually releasable device cooperating with said pressure means for holding the opposite end of the top frame to the lower frame, said manually operable releasing device including a manually engageable member and connections between the same and the top and lower frames for resetting the top frame to normal position on the lower frame with restoration of pressure from said pressure means with respect to both the quick releasable latching device at the one end of the top frame and the relatively slow manually releasable holding device at the opposite end of the top frame.

3. A wringer mechanism comprising a lower frame, a movable top frame, rolls in the lower frame, pressure means for the rolls, and instrumentalities holding the top frame on the lower frame against the pressure of said pressure means to establish wringing pressure between the rolls and render said pressure means available in moving the top frame away from the lower frame when released, including one releasable latching device for normally holding the top frame to the lower frame, said releasable latching device having means arranged to cooperate with said pressure means in releasing the top frame from the lower frame, and another releasable latching device having means to cooperate with said pressure means in releasing the top frame from the lower frame, said last-mentioned releasing device including means and connections between the same and the top and lower frames for resetting the top frame to normal position on the lower frame with restoration of pressure from said pressure means with respect to both of the releasable latching devices, said releasable devices being formed and correlated whereby either of the latching devices may be actuated in advance of the other.

4. A wringer having a frame comprising a base and side stiles, rolls mounted in the frame, a top bar releasably mounted on the side stiles, and a pressure device exerting pressure from the top bar to the rolls; in combination with a quick acting safety release device releasing the top bar to relieve pressure on the rolls, and a resetting device operating on the top bar and depressing the same to reestablish pressure on the rolls, the safety release being adapted to be reengaged after release prior to a resetting action of the resetting device, the release and resetting device each having a member manually engageable for operating the same and one of the devices having quicker action than the other.

5. A wringer having a frame comprising a base and side stiles, rolls mounted in the frame, a top bar releasably mounted on the side stiles, and a pressure device exerting pressure from the top bar to the rolls; in combination with a quick acting safety release device releasing one end of the top bar to relieve pressure on the rolls, and a resetting device operating on the opposite end of the top bar and depressing the same to reestablish pressure on the rolls, the safety release being adapted to be reengaged after release prior to a resetting action of the resetting device and one of the devices having quicker action than the other.

6. A wringer having a frame comprising a base and side stiles, rolls mounted in the frame, a top bar releasably mounted on the side stiles, and a pressure device exerting pressure from the top bar to the rolls; in combination with a quick acting safety release device releasing the top bar to relieve pressure on the rolls, a resetting device operating on the top bar and depressing the same to reestablish pressure on the rolls, the safety release being adapted to be reengaged after release prior to a resetting action of the resetting device, the release and resetting device each having a member manually engageable for operating the same and one of the devices having quicker action than the other, and means adjusting the pressure device with relation to the top bar and mantaining that adjustment through a release and resetting operation.

7. A wringer having a frame comprising a base and side stiles, rolls mounted in the frame, a top bar releasably mounted on the side stiles, and a pressure device exerting pressure from the top bar to the rolls; in combination with a quick acting safety device releasing one end of the top bar to relieve pressure on the rolls, and a resetting device operating on the opposite end of the top bar and depressing the same to reestablish pressure on the rolls, the safety release being adapted to be reengaged after release prior to a resetting action of the resetting device, said resetting device being operable through the action of the top bar to release its end of the top bar when the safety release at the opposite end of the top bar is actuated.

8. A wringer having a frame comprising a base and side stiles, rolls mounted in the frame, a top bar releasably mounted on the side stiles, and a pressure device exerting pressure from the top bar to the rolls; in combination with a quick acting safety release device releasing the top bar to relieve pressure on the rolls, and a resetting device operating on the top bar and depressing the same to reestablish pressure on the rolls, the safety release being adapted to be reengaged after release prior to a resetting action of the resetting device, and the resetting device comprising a lever operatively connected to the top bar and the frame extending along a side stile and swinging outwardly therefrom when released.

9. A wringer having a frame comprising a base and side stiles, rolls mounted in the frame, a top bar releasably mounted on the side stiles, and a pressure device exerting pressure from the top bar to the rolls; in combination with a quick acting safety release device releasing one end of the top bar to relieve pressure on the rolls, and a resetting device operating on the opposite end of the top bar and depressing the same to reestablish pressure on the rolls, the safety release being adapted to be reengaged after release prior to a resetting action of the resetting device, said resetting device being operable through the action of the top bar to release its end of the top bar when the safety release at the opposite end of the top bar is actuated, said resetting device comprising a lever operatively connected with the top bar and the frame and, swinging outwardly from the frame when released.

10. A wringer having a frame comprising a base and side stiles, rolls mounted in the frame, a top bar releasably mounted on the side stiles, and a pressure device exerting pressure from the top bar to the rolls; in combination with a quick acting safety release device releasing one end of the top bar to relieve pressure on the rolls, and a resetting device operating on the opposite end of the top bar and depressing the same to reestablish pressure on the rolls, the safety release being adapted to be reengaged after release prior to a resetting action of the resetting device, said resetting device being operable through the action of the top bar to release its end of the top bar when the safety release at the opposite end of the top bar is actuated, said resetting device comprising a lever and link operatively connected together and one operatively connected to the top bar and the other to the frame and through toggle action depressing the top bar to reset the pressure on the rolls.

WALTER L. KAUFFMAN, II. 

